Michael Roberts (politician)

For other people named Michael Roberts, seeMichael Roberts (disambiguation).

Michael Roberts
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales
In office 5 May 1979 – 10 February 1983 Serving withWyn Roberts
Member of Parliament forCardiff North West
In office 28 February 1974 – 10 February 1983
Preceded by	Constituency established
Succeeded by	Constituency abolished
Member of Parliament forCardiff North
In office 18 June 1970 – 8 February 1974
Preceded by	Ted Rowlands
Succeeded by	Ian Grist
Personal details
Born	Michael Hilary Arthur Roberts (1927-05-06)6 May 1927 Aberystwyth,Ceredigion,Wales
Died	10 February 1983(1983-02-10)(aged 55) Westminster,London, England
Political party	Conservative
Education	University College of Wales, Cardiff
Profession	Educator

Michael Hilary Arthur Roberts(6 May 1927 – 10 February 1983) was a BritishConservative Partypolitician.

Early life

Roberts was born inAberystwyth,and was educated at theNeath Grammar School for Boysand theUniversity College of Wales, Cardiff.He was the first Headteacher of the Bishop of Llandaff Church in Wales High School when it opened in 1963, and was president of the Cardiff branch of theNational Union of Teachers.

Parliamentary career

Roberts contestedAberdarein a1954 by-election,placing third. He foughtCardiff South Eastin1955and1959,being defeated both times by futureLabourPrime MinisterJames Callaghan,on the second occasion by only 868 votes.

He wasMember of ParliamentforCardiff Northfrom1970toFebruary 1974,and thereafter forCardiff North West.He became a junior Welsh Office minister when theMargaret Thatchergovernment came to power in 1979.

Death

At around 9:44PM on 10 February 1983, Roberts collapsed from a massiveheart attackwhile speaking at thedespatch boxin the House of Commons during anadjournment debateand was pronounced dead, aged 55, on arrival at hospital.Roberts had been in poor health for two years prior to his death.Ordinarily there would have been aby-electionto succeed him but none was called due to the impending1983 general election,in which boundary changes abolished his Cardiff North West seat.

Bibliography

• Times Guide to the House of Commons,1979
• Leigh Rayment's Peerage Pages